Wildcard weekend is a not-so-subtle introduction, setting the vibe for the rest of the playoffs. Every early January, there is usually at least one insane contest that fans talk about until next season. It got us thinking about the most memorable wildcard results from the past 15 years. No wildcard team has won a championship since the 2012-13 Ravens, and no wildcard game has gone to overtime since the Denver Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012.
The 2018 postseason in the National Football League is more wide open than it has been in recent memory, maybe the most in the last decade-and-a-half. Striking up football conversation with people out and about in Chicago this week, agreement seemed to be made with the levity of competition. Also, high excitement for the Chicago Bears, which will host its first playoff game since 2011.
It’s rather easy to imagine a championship scenario for all 12 current playoff teams: Kansas City, New Orleans, New England, Los Angeles Rams, Houston, Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle, Indianapolis and Philadelphia. The Chargers, probably the most well-rounded club in the AFC, is sitting in a wildcard position at 12-4. Miraculously, the Eagles made the tournament, and all remaining NFC teams should be wary of Nick Foles and his crew.
So, here are the NFL wildcard games we remember the most:
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers -1/4/04
In a shining moment for Al Harris, he jumped a pass route on Matt Hasselbeck’s throw in overtime, coasting 52 yards for the 33-to-27 victory for the Packers. An exhilarating conclusion following two separate comebacks: Seattle scored 14 points in the third quarter on two Shaun Alexander (he only had 45 yards on 20 carries) goal line rushes, and Ahman Green matched that in the fourth quarter with two seperate goal line runs of his own.
In a Lambeau wind chill of seven degrees, Brett Favre (Green Bay) and Hasselbeck (Seattle) both threw for over 300 yards — Favre was 26 of 38 for 319 and Hasselbeck was 25 of 45 (ugh) for 305. Alexander and Green were strong running backs, but neither runner could get loose for big gains. Packers’ receiver Javon Walker, who went on to have 1,382 yards in 2004, caught five passes for 111 yards against the Seahawks. For Seattle, Koren Robinson and Bobby Engram each received over 80 yards.
Harris’s game-sealing pick six was the one turnover of the game; couldn’t have come at a worse moment for the Seahawks, which went on to lose another wildcard game to the Rams a year later. For any quarterback in overtime of a playoff game, it is important to watch for defensive backs that are trying to ruin your life, but complements to Harris for the surprise.
New York Jets at San Diego Chargers – 1/8/05
Ahh, the crushing missed field goal. In overtime nonetheless. Chargers’ rookie kicker, Nate Kaeding, lined up from 40 yards with four minutes remaining in extra time and missed. Kaeding had the classic reaction of any kicker who misses a big kick: hands on hips, staring into nothingness. The Jets won (20 to 17) on a 28-yard field goal made by Doug Brien, who made 83-percent of his kicks over two seasons with New York.
This wildcard loss was further trouble for San Diego coach, Marty Schottenheimer, who had a full career of postseason mishaps (he was 5-13 with San Diego, Kansas City and Cleveland). There wasn’t much offensive fire in this game: New York and San Diego were both scoreless in the first quarter; the Jets didn’t score in the fourth and the Chargers didn’t tally anything in the third. However, Chad Pennington (279 yards), Drew Brees (319), Santana Moss (100) and Eric Parker (93) were in top form. Pennington had a bummed throwing shoulder, but he got the job done.
There was controversy about how the game went to overtime: Antonio Gates and Brees were able to tie the game in the final seconds after Jets’ linebacker Eric Barton was flagged for a personal foul; he hit Brees in the head with his forearm when Brees was throwing the football up in desperation of pressure. This was an odd call, given the year of 2005. Our condolences, Mr. Kaeding.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals – 1/8/06
The Bengals were never the same after this grungy game. In Cincinnati’s first playoff game since 1990, Carson Palmer completed a 66-yard pass very early on, but Palmer wouldn’t throw another pass that day; a Steelers’ defensive lineman rolled over his left knee during the play. The effect was an extremely upset Bengals’ team, and it couldn’t hold the emotion together enough to beat its division rival at home in the playoffs.
Per usual, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati said nasty words to each other, pushed and shoved. Drawn up by the wizard, Ken Whisenhunt, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers’ offense completed a stretched out flea-flicker for a back-breaking touchdown. Bengals’ coach, Marvin Lewis, had evil eyes; Troy Polamalu made an interception; and Bill Cowher, in his last year at the helm, was smiling wide.
Roethlisberger threw for three touchdowns and no picks, a year after throwing five interceptions in two playoff games. Pittsburgh went on to win the Super Bowl, and it still goes down as one of the most impressive playoff runs in NFL history.
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals – 1/10/10
The highest combined score of any NFL playoff game (96) not including the Super Bowl, Arizona and Green Bay put on a fantastic show. It was the finale of a wildcard weekend that saw upsets — most notably Baltimore over New England — and here’s a statistics run down: 62 first downs; 1,024 offensive yards; six fumbles; 132 penalty yards; and eight third-down conversions. Yes, it was really fun to watch.
Arizona went ahead, 17 to 0, in the first quarter, but there was no way that Aaron Rodgers (423 yards and four TDs), Jermichael Finley (six catches for 159) and Greg Jennings (eight catches for 130) would let that slide. It took some game time, but the Packers tied the score, 38 to 38, with a one-yard John Kuhn bull-rush early in the fourth quarter. From there, Kurt Warner (29 of 33 for 379 yards and five TDs) and Rodgers traded passing scores as the game overflowed into extra time; it was the only way to decide this football feast.
Unfitting, the Cardinals won the contest on a 17-yard fumble recovery return by Karlos Dansby. Rodgers was sacked, up high on a secret safety blitz by the admirable Adrian Wilson; Dansby, who was probably close enough to sack Rodgers himself, naturally grabbed the football and ran to the house. Phoenix was in frenzy. We’ll never forget this game.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos – 1/8/12
Tim Tebow 80-yard inside slant to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime for a 29-to-23 victory in Denver. That’s all that really matters, but Google the full highlights if you want further memories.
Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts – 1/4/14
As the second greatest playoff comeback in history, the Colts trailed the Chiefs, 38 to 10, with 13:39 remaining in the third quarter. Kansas City’s players were laughing, having a great time on the sidelines, but those grins eventually turned to frowns when Andrew Luck (443 passing yards, four TDs, three INTs) caught his own pass deflection at the five-yard line, running it into the end zone, minimizing the Chiefs’ lead to three points with 10 minutes left in regulation play.
This was an agonizing turn of events for Kansas City. Mustering two field goals after being ahead by 28 points, the Colts kept creeping closer and closer. Indianapolis completed the unthinkable win with a 64-yard pass to T.Y. Hilton, who finished the day with 13 catches for 224 yards; it’s the third-most receiving yards in the history of the NFL postseason. The Chiefs might still think it was a dream.
Tennessee Titans Kansas City Chiefs – 1/6/18
Hate to pick on the Chiefs, but Kansas City has had a hard go in the playoffs. A year after a goal line fiasco costed the Chiefs a win in the divisional round at home — a suspect holding call gave the Steelers another chance — Tennessee came to town and pulled the upset. Play of legend: Marcus Mariota tossing a six-yard touchdown to himself. Kansas City blew a 21-to-3 halftime lead. Woof.